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87-585: The Heckler & Koch HK416 is an assault rifle chambered for the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge . It is designed and manufactured by the German company Heckler & Koch . Although the design is based on the AR-15 class of firearm (specifically the Colt M4 carbine family issued to the U.S. military ), it uses a proprietary short-stroke gas piston system from Heckler & Koch's earlier G36 family of rifles. The HK416

174-548: A 20-round magazine. The 5.56 mm round had to penetrate a standard U.S. helmet at 460 metres (500 yd) and retain a velocity in excess of the speed of sound, while matching or exceeding the wounding ability of the .30 Carbine cartridge. This request ultimately resulted in the development of a scaled-down version of the ArmaLite AR-10 , called the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle. However, despite overwhelming evidence that

261-655: A 3× magnified telescopic sight and an unmagnified reflex sight mounted on top of the telescopic sight. Widely distributed, it has been adopted by over 40 countries and prompted other nations to develop similar composite designs, such as the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl . MIL-STD-1913 Once established as United States Military Standard , its use expanded to also attaching other accessories, such as: iron sights , tactical lights , laser aiming modules , night vision devices , reflex sights , holographic sights , foregrips , bipods , slings and bayonets . An updated version of

348-480: A 6-groove 178 mm (7.0 in) right hand twist . The cold hammer-forging process provides a stronger barrel for greater safety in case of an obstructed bore or for extended firing sessions. Modifications for an over-the-beach (OTB) capability such as drainage holes in the bolt carrier and buffer system are available to let the HK416 fire safely as quickly as possible after being submerged in liquids like water. To reduce

435-633: A Sturmgewehr was demonstrated before the People's Commissariat of Arms of the USSR . The Soviets were so impressed with the Sturmgewehr that they immediately set about developing an intermediate caliber automatic rifle of their own to replace the badly outdated Mosin–Nagant bolt-action rifles and PPSh-41 submachine guns that armed most of the Red Army. The Soviets soon developed the 7.62×39mm M43 cartridge, which

522-562: A firearm must have at least the following characteristics to be considered an assault rifle: Rifles that meet most of these criteria, but not all, are not assault rifles according to the U.S. Army's definition. For example: In the United States, selective-fire rifles are legally defined as " machine guns ", and civilian ownership of those has been tightly regulated since 1934 under the National Firearms Act and since 1986 under

609-436: A great variety of accessories and attachments are now available and the rails are no longer confined to the rear upper surface ( receiver ) of long arms but are either fitted to or machine milled into the upper, side or lower surfaces of all manner of weapons from crossbows to pistols and long arms up to and including anti-materiel rifles . Because of their many uses, 1913 rails and accessories have replaced iron sights in

696-576: A large flash suppressor had to be fitted". "Nevertheless, as a short-range weapon it is quite adequate and thus, [despite] its caliber, [the Colt Commando ] is classed as a submachine gun." Other compact assault rifles, such as the HK53 , AKS-74U and the Daewoo K1 , have been made and they have also been called submachine guns. In 1977, Austria introduced the 5.56×45mm Steyr AUG bullpup rifle, often cited as

783-485: A lighter 125-grain bullet, which limited range but allowed for more controllable automatic fire. A smaller, lighter cartridge also allowed soldiers to carry more ammunition "to support the higher consumption rate of automatic fire". The Sturmgewehr 44 features an inexpensive, easy-to-make, stamped steel design and a 30-round detachable box magazine. This weapon was the prototype of all successful automatic rifles. Characteristically (and unlike previous rifles) it had

870-505: A modular design with a wide range of accessories (telescoping butt-stocks, optics, bi-pods, etc.) that could be easily removed and arranged in a variety of configurations. The adoption of the M16, the H&;K33, and the 5.56×45mm cartridge inspired an international trend towards relatively small-sized, lightweight, high-velocity military service cartridges that allow a soldier to carry more ammunition for

957-572: A patent for the rail in 1995. Swan has visited civil court against Colt and Troy industries regarding patent infringement. The courts found that Troy had developed rifles with rail mounting systems nearly identical to the MIL-STD-1913 rail. A metric -upgraded version of the 1913 rail, the STANAG 4694 NATO Accessory Rail , was designed in conjunction with weapon manufacturers like Aimpoint , Beretta , Colt , FN Herstal and Heckler & Koch , and

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1044-677: A prototype and never went to full production. It has a 228 mm (9.0 in) barrel and is expected to produce muzzle velocities of approximately 730 m/s (2,395 ft/s). It was submitted for the Ultra Compact Individual Weapon contract but lost to the LWRC M6A2 . The M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle is a squad automatic weapon variant developed from the D16.5RS, adopted in 2011 by the United States Marine Corps. In 2018

1131-447: A redesigned lower receiver with ambidextrous fire controls, optimised magazine and ammunition compatibility, a repair kit housed inside the pistol grip, and a Flat Dark Earth colour scheme. The stock has a fixed buttplate and no longer has a storage space, as well as the sling loops removed from it. The V2 HK Battle grip is incorporated, which has the V2 grip profile with the storage compartment of

1218-473: A significant advantage over enemies armed primarily with bolt-action rifles. Although U.S. Army studies of World War II combat accounts had very similar results to that of the Germans and Soviets, the U.S. Army failed to recognize the importance of the assault rifle concept, and instead maintained its traditional views and preference for high-powered semi-automatic rifles. At the time, the U.S. Army believed that

1305-464: A small-caliber, high-velocity cartridge. Senior American commanders had faced fanatical enemies and experienced major logistical problems during World War II and the Korean War, and insisted that a single powerful .30 caliber cartridge be developed, that could be used by the new automatic rifle, and also by the new general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) in concurrent development. This culminated in

1392-439: A straight stock with the barrel under the gas cylinder to reduce the turning moment of recoil of the rifle in the shoulder and thus help reduce the tendency of shots to climb in automatic fire. The barrel and overall length were shorter than a traditional rifle and it had a pistol grip to hold the weapon more securely in automatic fire. "The principle of this weapon—the reduction of muzzle impulse to get usable automatic fire within

1479-701: A variant under the MR556A1 Competition Model nomenclature; it comes with a 14.5" free-float Modular Rail System (MRS), 16.5" barrel, OSS compensator and Magpul CTR buttstock. The firearm's precision is specified as 1 MOA by Heckler & Koch. In Europe, the MR223A3 variant is sold with the same cosmetic and ergonomic improvements of the HK416A5. The French importer of Heckler & Koch in France, RUAG Defence, have announced that they are going to sell two civilian versions of

1566-583: Is a 5.56×45mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by Heckler & Koch in Germany as a replacement for the heavier G3. It was accepted into service with the Bundeswehr in 1997, replacing the G3. The G36 is gas-operated and feeds from a 30-round detachable box magazine or 100-round C-Mag drum magazine . The G36 was made with the extensive use of lightweight, corrosion-resistant synthetic materials in its design;

1653-575: Is a 7.62×51mm, selective fire, automatic rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN). During the Cold War it was adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries, most notably with the British Commonwealth as the semi-automatic L1A1 . It is one of the most widely used rifles in history, having been used by more than 90 countries. The FAL

1740-604: Is at times called the 'Picatinny Rail', in reference to the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey . Picatinny Arsenal works as a contracting office for small arms design (they contracted engineers to work on the M4 ). Picatinny Arsenal requested Swan's help in developing the rail, but did not draft blueprints or request paperwork for a patent. That credit goes to ARMS Inc's Richard Swanson, who conducted Research and Development and achieved

1827-538: Is equipped with a proprietary accessory rail forearm with MIL-STD-1913 rails on all four sides. This lets most current accessories for M4/M16-type weapons fit the HK416. The HK416 rail forearm can be installed and removed without tools by using the bolt locking lug as the screwdriver. The rail forearm is "free-floating" and does not contact the barrel, improving accuracy. The HK416 has an adjustable multi-position telescopic butt stock, offering six different lengths of pull. The shoulder pad can be either convex or concave and

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1914-471: Is generally considered the first selective fire military rifle to popularize the assault rifle concept. Today, the term assault rifle is used to define firearms sharing the same basic characteristics as the StG 44. The U.S. Army defines assault rifles as "short, compact, selective-fire weapons that fire a cartridge intermediate in power between submachine gun and rifle cartridges." In this strict definition,

2001-949: Is the standard assault rifle of the Norwegian Armed Forces and the United States Marine Corps (designated M27 ), and it has been selected by the French Armed Forces to replace the FAMAS and by the German Army to replace the G36 as Service rifle . Other users include the Irish Army Ranger Wing , as well as the US Navy's SEAL Team Six , who used it to kill Osama bin Laden in 2011. The United States Army 's Delta Force , at

2088-689: The Bundeswehr ' s Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifle, the U.S. Army's XM8 rifle project (cancelled in 2005) and the British Armed Forces SA80 A2 upgrade programme . The project was originally called the Heckler & Koch M4 , but this was changed in response to a trademark infringement suit filed by Colt Defense . Delta Force replaced its M4s with the HK416D in March 2005, after tests revealed that

2175-552: The AK-47 and the M16 designs and their derivatives. The term assault rifle is generally attributed to Adolf Hitler , who used the German word Sturmgewehr (which translates to "assault rifle") as the new name for the MP 43 ( Maschinenpistole ) , subsequently known as the Sturmgewehr 44 . Allied propaganda suggested that the name was chosen for propaganda purposes, but the main purpose

2262-481: The Firearm Owners Protection Act . However, the term "assault rifle" is often conflated with " assault weapon ", a U.S. legal category with varying definitions which includes many semi-automatic weapons. This use has been described as incorrect and a misapplication of the term. The 1890s Cei-Rigotti prototype was built to fire the fully powered 7.65×53mm Mauser and the weaker 6.5×52mm Carcano , it

2349-614: The G95A1 to supersede the G36 as the standard rifle of the German Armed Forces. The G95A1 is similar to the G95, but it features a height-adjustable shoulder support on the stock, a steeper grip angle as well as a shorter hand guard to comply with the required maximum weight of 3.5 kg (7.72 lb) according to the tender. During field testings the rifle was known as the HK416 A8 . According to

2436-729: The Russian Empire and later in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic . A total of 3,200 Fedorov rifles were manufactured between 1915 and 1924 in the city of Kovrov ; the vast majority of them were made after 1920. The weapon saw limited combat in World War I , but was used more substantially in the Russian Civil War and in the Winter War . Some consider it to be an "early predecessor" or "ancestor" of

2523-557: The Type 56 ). As a result, more AK-type weapons have been produced than all other assault rifles combined. As of 2004, "of the estimated 500 million firearms worldwide, approximately 100 million belong to the Kalashnikov family, three-quarters of which are AK-47s." The U.S. Army was influenced by combat experience with semi-automatic weapons such as the M1 Garand and M1 Carbine , which enjoyed

2610-838: The United States Marine Corps as the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR). After the Marine Corps Operational Test & Evaluation Activity supervised a round of testing at MCAGCC Twentynine Palms , Fort McCoy , and Camp Shelby (for dust, cold-weather, and hot-weather conditions, respectively). As of March 2012, fielding of 452 IARs had been completed of 4,748 ordered. Five infantry battalions: 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines , out of Camp Pendleton ; 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines , out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii ; 1st Battalion, 9th Marines , out of Camp Lejeune ; and 1st Battalion, 25th Marines , out of Fort Devens , have deployed

2697-461: The 1960s other countries would follow the Americans' lead and begin to develop 5.56×45mm assault rifles, most notably Germany with the Heckler & Koch HK33 . The HK33 was essentially a smaller 5.56mm version of the 7.62×51mm Heckler & Koch G3 rifle. As one of the first 5.56mm assault rifles on the market, it would go on to become one of the most widely distributed assault rifles. The HK33 featured

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2784-504: The 1970s, Finland, Israel, and South Africa introduced AK type assault rifles in 5.56×45mm. Sweden began the transition with trails in 1981 and full adaptation in 1986. During the 1990s, Russia developed the AK-101 in 5.56×45mm NATO for the world export market. In addition, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland and Yugoslavia (i.e., Serbia) have also rechambered their locally produced assault rifles to 5.56mm NATO. The AK-74 assault rifle

2871-508: The 2009 SHOT Show , these two firearms were introduced to the U.S. civilian market renamed respectively MR556 and MR762. There is another variant of the MR556 called the MR556A1, which is an improved version of the former. It was created with input from American special forces units. The MR556A1 lets the upper receiver attach to any M16/M4/AR-15 family lower receiver, as the receiver take-down pins are in

2958-534: The 5.56×45mm FAMAS bullpup rifle. In 1985, the British introduced the 5.56×45mm L85 bullpup rifle. In the late 1990s, Israel introduced the 5.56mm NATO Tavor TAR-21 . In 1997, China adopted the QBZ-95 in the new 5.8×42mm cartridge, which they claim is superior to both the 5.56×45mm and the 5.45×39mm. By the turn of the century, the bullpup assault rifle design had achieved worldwide acceptance. The Heckler & Koch G36

3045-463: The 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge has become not only the NATO standard but "the standard assault-rifle cartridge in much of the world". It also led to the development of small-caliber high-velocity service rifles by every major army in the world, including the USSR and People's Republic of China. Today, many small arms experts consider the M16 the standard by which all other assault rifles are judged. During

3132-416: The 5.56×45mm cartridge. This shift represented a change in the philosophy of the military's long-held position about caliber size. By the middle of the 1970s, other armies were looking at assault rifle-type weapons. A NATO standardization effort soon started and tests of various rounds were carried out starting in 1977. The U.S. offered the 5.56×45mm M193 round, but there were concerns about its penetration in

3219-568: The A5 variant safety selector. The new configuration of the selector is comparable to those of aftermarket 45-degree safety selectors. The G95 also features a HKeyMod rail system, which is more lightweight than the traditional Picatinny rail systems. The HKeyMod rail system is also compatible with the HK416 A5 variant. In March 2021, the German Federal Ministry of Defence announced the adoption of

3306-608: The AK-47 and the M14 ("assault rifle" vs "battle rifle") came in the early part of the Vietnam War . Battlefield reports indicated that the M14 was uncontrollable in full-auto and that soldiers could not carry enough ammunition to maintain fire superiority over the AK-47. And, while the M2 Carbine offered a high rate of fire, it was under-powered and ultimately outclassed by the AK-47. A replacement

3393-539: The AR-15 could bring more firepower to bear than the M14, the Army opposed the adoption of the new rifle. In January 1963, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara concluded that the AR-15 was the superior weapon system and ordered a halt to M14 production. At the time, the AR-15 was the only rifle available that could fulfill the requirement of a universal infantry weapon for issue to all services. After modifications (most notably,

3480-775: The Federal Procurement Office (BAAINBw Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr ) the Bundeswehr will receive the weapon designated as G95A1 as the new standard rifle with the Specter DR 1-4× as standard aiming optic. The Kurz or short barrelled version for "specialized forces" will be designated as G95KA1 . Civilian variants of the HK416 and HK417 introduced in 2007 were known as MR223 and MR308 (as they remain known in Europe). Both are semi-automatic rifles with several sporterized features. At

3567-624: The German federal government as the G38 , according to Strategie-Technik. Heckler & Koch offers the G38 in two barrel lengths, an 11- and 14.5-inch barrel. The G95 is designed for the German KSK and KSM special forces unit. During field testing of the rifle it was known as the HK416 A7 . It is similar to the HK416 A5 variant but with a 45-degree safety selector, that rotates 45 degrees rather than 90 degrees as on

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3654-709: The HK416 IAR was designated as the M27 and 450 were procured for additional testing. The Turkish company Makina ve Kimya Endustrisi Kurumu ("Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation") has considered manufacturing a copy of the HK416 as the MKEK Mehmetçik-1 for the Turkish Armed Forces . Instead, the new MPT-76 rifle has been developed by KALEKALIP with MKEK as the producer, with the Mehmetçik-1 dropped from adoption into

3741-469: The HK416F, named the MR223 F-S (14.5" Standard version) and MR223 F-C (11" Short version). The SIG Sauer SIG516 series and Caracal CAR 816 series share lineage to the Heckler & Koch HK416, whilst omitting many proprietary HK416 components that were exchanged for standard M4 arms family mil-spec conform components. The principal firearms engineers for the SIG516 and CAR 816 were Robert Hirt and Chris Sirois. During his time with Heckler & Koch, Hirt

3828-407: The M1 Garand proved disappointing. During the Korean War , the select-fire M2 Carbine largely replaced the submachine gun in U.S. service and became the most widely used Carbine variant. Combat experience suggested that the .30 Carbine round was under-powered. American weapons designers reached the same conclusion as the German and Soviet ones: an intermediate round was necessary, and recommended

3915-409: The MIL-STD-1913 rail and the similar Weaver rail are the size and shapes of the slots. Whereas the earlier Weaver rail is modified from a low, wide dovetail rail and has rounded slots, the 1913 rail has a more pronounced angular section and square-bottomed slots. This means that an accessory designed for a Weaver rail will fit onto a MIL-STD-1913 rail whereas the opposite might not be possible (unless

4002-425: The Mulhouse facility between 1946 and 1949. Vorgrimler later went to work at CETME in Spain and developed the line of CETME automatic rifles based on his improved StG 45 design. Germany eventually purchased the license for the CETME design and manufactured the Heckler & Koch G3 as well as an entire line of weapons built on the same system, one of the most famous being the MP5 SMG . The first confrontations between

4089-464: The Red Army's new mobile warfare doctrines. In the 1960s, the Soviets introduced the RPK light machine gun , itself an AK-47 type weapon with a bipod , a stronger receiver, and a longer, heavier barrel that would eventually replace the RPD light machine gun. The AK-47 was widely supplied or sold to nations allied with the USSR, and the blueprints were shared with several friendly nations (the People's Republic of China standing out among these with

4176-433: The Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ( Centro de Estudios Técnicos de Materiales Especiales ). The rifle proved successful in the export market, being adopted by the armed forces of over 60 countries. After World War II, German technicians involved in developing the Sturmgewehr 45 , continued their research in France at CEAM. The StG 45 mechanism was modified by Ludwig Vorgrimler and Theodor Löffler at

4263-447: The Sturmgewehr 44 was "intended in a general way to serve the same purpose as the U.S. carbine" and was in many ways inferior to the M1 carbine, and was of "little importance". After World War II, the United States military started looking for a single automatic rifle to replace the M1 Garand, M1/M2 Carbines, M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle , M3 "Grease Gun" and Thompson submachine gun . Early experiments with select-fire versions of

4350-635: The Turkish military. The French Armed Forces conducted a rifle evaluation and trial to replace the FAMAS , and selected the HK416F as its primary firearm in 2016. Of the 93,080 rifles, 54,575 will be a "short" version with a 280 mm (11 in) barrel weighing 3.7 kg (8.2 lb) without the ability to use a grenade launcher, and 38,505 will be a "standard" version with a 368 mm (14.5 in) barrel weighing 4 kg (8.8 lb), of which 14,915 will take FÉLIN attachments; standard rifles will be supplied with 10,767 HK269F grenade launchers. 5,000 units are supposed to be delivered in 2017, half of

4437-514: The USMC decided to adopt the M27 IAR as their infantry standard service rifle. The HK416 A5 is an improved variant with ambidextrous controls that was first seen in the Individual Carbine competition. It features a stock similar to that of the G28 designated marksman rifle , except slimmer and non-adjustable. The rifle features an improved tool-less adjustable gas regulator for suppressor use, which can accommodate barrel lengths down to 267 mm (10.5 in) without modifications. It also features

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4524-454: The V1 grip for tools. The handguard uses a new hexagonal-shaped cross bolt that cannot be removed by the bolt locking lugs but instead by the takedown tool housed inside the grip. It has a "heavy duty castle nut", which is more robust than the previous version, therefore making that weak spot more resistant to impact. As of 2013, Heckler & Koch replaced the original HK416 with the A5 variant. In 2014, The HK416 A5 has been type classified by

4611-432: The actual ranges of combat—was probably the most important advance in small arms since the invention of smokeless powder ." Like the Germans, the Soviets were influenced by experience showing that most combat engagements occur within 400 metres (1,300 ft) and that their soldiers were consistently outgunned by heavily armed German troops, especially those armed with Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifles. On July 15, 1943,

4698-425: The bolt carrier group increases the reliability of the weapon and extends the interval between stoppages. During factory tests the HK416 fired 10,000 rounds in full-auto without malfunctioning. The HK416's piston system was originally self-regulating in theory, but in the default position tends to give increased recoil over an adjustable gas system. A user adjustable gas regulator was added in later variants. The HK416

4785-445: The charging handle was re-located from under the carrying handle like it was on AR-10 to the rear of the receiver), the newly redesigned rifle was subsequently adopted as the M16 Rifle. "(The M16) was much lighter compared to the M14 it replaced, ultimately allowing soldiers to carry more ammunition. The air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed assault rifle was made of steel, aluminum alloy and composite plastics, truly cutting-edge for

4872-404: The development of the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge and the M14 rifle which was basically an improved select-fire M1 Garand with a 20-round magazine. The U.S. also adopted the M60 GPMG , which replaced the M1919 Browning machine gun in major combat roles. Its NATO partners adopted the FN FAL and Heckler & Koch G3 rifles, as well as the FN MAG and Rheinmetall MG3 GPMGs. The FN FAL

4959-458: The end of the rail and then locked in place. It is similar in concept to the earlier commercial Weaver rail mount used to mount telescopic sights , but is taller and has wider slots at regular intervals along the entire length. The MIL-STD-1913 locking slot width is 0.206 in (5.23 mm). The spacing of slot centres is 0.394 in (10.01 mm) and the slot depth is 0.118 in (3.00 mm). The only significant difference between

5046-425: The face of the wider introduction of body armor . In the end the Belgian 5.56×45mm SS109 round was chosen ( STANAG 4172) in October 1980. The SS109 round was based on the U.S. cartridge but included a new stronger, heavier, 62-grain bullet design, with better long-range performance and improved penetration (specifically, to consistently penetrate the side of a steel helmet at 600 metres or 2,000 feet). Also during

5133-418: The first successful bullpup rifle , finding service with the armed forces of over twenty countries. It was highly advanced for the 1970s, combining in the same weapon the bullpup configuration, a polymer housing, dual vertical grips, an optical sight as standard, and a modular design. Highly reliable, light, and accurate, the Steyr AUG showed clearly the potential of the bullpup layout. In 1978, France introduced

5220-404: The modern assault rifle. The Germans were the first to pioneer the assault rifle concept during World War II, based upon research that showed that most firefights happen within 400 metres (1,300 ft) and that contemporary rifles were overpowered for most small arms combat. They would soon develop a select-fire intermediate powered rifle combining the firepower of a submachine gun with

5307-403: The new magazines could be combat-ready by spring of 2008 if testing went well. In December 2009, a modified version of the HK416 was selected for the final testing in the Infantry Automatic Rifle program, designed to partially replace the M249 light machine gun at the squad level for the United States Marine Corps. It beat the three other finalists by FN Herstal and Colt Defense. In July 2010,

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5394-410: The order delivered by 2022, and the order fulfilled by 2028. The first batch of 400 rifles was delivered on 3 May 2017. The HK416 was one of the weapons displayed to U.S. Army officials during an invitation-only Industry Day on 13 November 2008. The goal of the Industry Day was to review current carbine technology prior to writing formal requirements for a future replacement for the M4 carbine. The HK416

5481-420: The piston operating system significantly reduces malfunctions while increasing the life of parts. The HK416 has been tested by the United States military and is in use with some law enforcement agencies. It has been adopted as the standard rifle of the Norwegian Armed Forces (2008) and the French Armed Forces (2017) and is used by many special operations units worldwide. A modified variant underwent testing by

5568-467: The rail is adopted as a NATO standard as the STANAG 4694 NATO Accessory Rail . Attempts to standardize the Weaver rail designs date back to the early 1980s from work by the A.R.M.S. company and Richard Swanson. Specifications for the M16A2E4 rifle and the M4E1 carbine received type classification generic in December 1994. These were the M16A2 and the M4 modified with new upper receivers where rails replaced hand guards. The MIL-STD-1913 rail

5655-409: The range and accuracy of a rifle. The result was the Sturmgewehr 44, an improvement of the earlier Maschinenkarabiner 42(H) , and approximately half a million Sturmgewehrs were produced by the war's end. It fired a new and revolutionary intermediate powered cartridge, the 7.92×33mm Kurz. This new cartridge was developed by shortening the standard 7.92×57mm Mauser round and giving it

5742-446: The receiver housing, stock, trigger group (including the fire control selector and firing mechanism parts), magazine well, handguard and carrying handle are all made of a carbon fiber -reinforced polyamide . The receiver has an integrated steel barrel trunnion (with locking recesses) and a nylon 66 steel reinforced receiver. The standard Bundeswehr versions of the G36 are equipped with a unique ZF 3×4° dual optical sight that combines

5829-406: The request of R&D NCO Larry Vickers , collaborated with Heckler & Koch to develop a new carbine in the 1990s for use in close quarters combat . At this point, they were equipped with the Heckler & Koch MP5 , whose 9 mm bullet was considered too weak, and the M4 carbine, which was considered too large. During development, Heckler & Koch capitalized on experience gained developing

5916-511: The risk of slam-firing , the HK416 features a proprietary firing pin safety in the bolt. This firing pin safety limits the HK416 upper to working with standard AR-15 type full height hammers in the fire control group of the lower. In July 2007, the U.S. Army announced a limited competition between the M4 carbine, FN SCAR , HK416, and the previously shelved HK XM8 . Ten examples of each of the four competitors were involved. Each weapon fired 60,000 rounds in an extreme dust environment. The shoot-off

6003-497: The same standard location. The original concept for the MR556 did not allow for this, as the take-down pins were located in a "non-standard" location. The MR223 maintains the "non-standard" location of the pins, disallowing attachment of the upper receiver to the lower receivers of any other M16/M4/AR-15 family of rifles. As of 2012, the MR556A1 upper receiver group fits standard AR-15 lower receivers without modification, and functions reliably with standard STANAG magazines. HK-USA sells

6090-423: The same weight compared to the larger and heavier 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. The 5.56mm cartridge is also much easier to shoot. In 1961 marksmanship testing, the U.S. Army found that 43% of AR-15 shooters achieved Expert, while only 22% of M-14 rifle shooters did so. Also, a lower recoil impulse, allows for more controllable automatic weapons fire. In March 1970, the U.S. recommended that all NATO forces adopt

6177-409: The slots in the Weaver rail are modified to have square bottoms). While some accessories are designed to fit on both Weaver and 1913 rails, most 1913 compatible devices will not fit on Weaver rails. From May 2012, most mounting rails are cut to MIL-STD-1913 standards. Many accessories can be secured to a rail with a single spring-loaded retaining pin. Designed to mount heavy sights of various kinds,

6264-404: The stock features a storage space for maintenance accessories, spare electrical batteries or other small kit items. It can also be switched out for other variations like Magpul stocks. The trigger pull is 34  N (7.6  lb f ). The empty weight of a HK416 box magazine is 250 g (8.8 oz). The HK416's barrel is cold hammer-forged with a 20,000-round service life and features

6351-522: The time. Designed with full and semi-automatic capabilities, the weapon initially did not respond well to wet and dirty conditions, sometimes even jamming in combat. After a few minor modifications, the weapon gained in popularity among troops on the battlefield." Despite its early failures, the M16 proved to be a revolutionary design and stands as the longest continuously serving rifle in American military history. It has been adopted by many U.S. allies and

6438-582: The weapon. In December 2017, the Marine Corps revealed a decision to equip every Marine in an infantry squad with the M27. The HK416 uses a proprietary short-stroke gas piston system that derives from the HK G36. The HK system uses a short-stroke piston driving an operating rod to force the bolt carrier to the rear. This design prevents combustion gases from entering the weapon's interior—a shortcoming with direct impingement systems. The reduction in heat and fouling of

6525-526: The worldwide trend toward small caliber, high-velocity cartridges. Following the adoption of the M16, carbine variants were also adopted for close quarters operations. The AR-15 family of weapons served through the Vietnam War. However, these compact assault rifles had design issues, as "the barrel length was halved" to 10 inches (250 mm) which "upset the ballistics", reducing its range and accuracy and leading "to considerable muzzle flash and blast, so that

6612-514: Was a Soviet answer to the U.S. M16. The Soviet military realized that the M16 had better range and accuracy over the AKM, and that its lighter cartridge allowed soldiers to carry more ammunition. Therefore, in 1967, the USSR issued an official requirement to replace the AKM and the 7.62×39mm cartridge. They soon began to develop the AK-74 and the 5.45×39mm cartridge. AK-74 production began in 1974, and it

6699-572: Was approved by the NATO Army Armaments Group (NAAG), Land Capability Group 1 Dismounted Soldier (LCG1-DS) on May 8, 2009. Many firearm manufacturers include a MIL-STD-1913 rail system from factory, such as the Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle . The rail consists of a strip undercut to form a "flattened T" with a hexagonal top cross-section , with cross slots interspersed with flats that allow accessories to be slid into place from

6786-628: Was first used in the semi-automatic SKS carbine and the RPD light machine gun . Hugo Schmeisser , the designer of the Sturmgewehr, was captured after World War II, and, likely, helped develop the AK-47 assault rifle, which would quickly replace the SKS and Mosin in Soviet service. The AK-47 was finalized, adopted and entered widespread service in the Soviet army in the early 1950s. Its firepower, ease of use, low production costs, and reliability were perfectly suited for

6873-522: Was for assessing future needs, not to select a replacement for the M4. The XM8 scored the best, with only 127 stoppages in 60,000 total rounds, the FN SCAR Light had 226 stoppages, while the HK416 had 233 stoppages. The M4 carbine scored "significantly worse" than the rest of the field with 882 stoppages. However, magazine failures caused 239 of the M4's 882 failures. Army officials said, in December 2007, that

6960-415: Was involved in the development of the HK416. Norwegian Home Guard Special Operations Force (Singapore) Assault rifle An assault rifle is a select fire rifle that uses an intermediate-rifle cartridge and a detachable magazine . Assault rifles were first put into mass production and accepted into widespread service during World War II. The first assault rifle to see major usage

7047-403: Was needed: A medium between the traditional preference for high-powered rifles such as the M14, and the lightweight firepower of the M2 Carbine. As a result, the Army was forced to reconsider a 1957 request by General Willard G. Wyman, commander of the U.S. Continental Army Command (CONARC) to develop a .223 caliber (5.56 mm) select-fire rifle weighing 2.7 kg (6 lb) when loaded with

7134-508: Was predominantly chambered for the 7.62mm NATO round, and because of its prevalence and widespread use among the armed forces of many western nations during the Cold War, it was nicknamed "The right arm of the Free World ". The Heckler & Koch G3 is a 7.62×51mm, selective fire, automatic rifle produced by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K) in collaboration with

7221-444: Was somewhat of a predecessor. However, it had its magazine fixed. The Fedorov Avtomat (also anglicized as Federov, Russian: Автома́т Фёдорова , romanized : Avtomát Fyódorova , IPA: [ɐftɐˈmat ˈfʲɵdərəvə] , lit. 'Fyodorov's automatic rifle') is a select-fire infantry rifle and also one of the world's first operational automatic rifles, designed by Vladimir Grigoryevich Fyodorov in 1915 and produced in

7308-609: Was the German StG 44 , a development of the earlier Mkb 42 . While immediately after World War II, NATO countries were equipped with battle rifles , the development of the M16 rifle during the Vietnam War prompted the adoption of assault rifles by the rest of NATO. By the end of the 20th century, assault rifles had become the standard weapon in most of the world's armies, replacing full-powered rifles and submachine guns in most roles. The two most successful modern assault rifles are

7395-544: Was then an entry in the Individual Carbine competition to replace the M4. The weapon submitted was known as the HK416 A5 . The Individual Carbine competition was cancelled before a winning weapon was chosen. The HK416 chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO is offered in multiple barrel lengths available to the military and law enforcement market only. The HK416C "C" for Compact is an ultra-compact version that only remained as

7482-613: Was to differentiate the Sturmgewehr from German submachine guns such as the MP 40 . It has been suggested, however, that the Heereswaffenamt was responsible for the name Sturmgewehr , and Hitler had no input besides signing the production order . Furthermore, Hitler was initially opposed to the idea of a new infantry rifle, as Germany lacked the industrial capacity to replace the 12,000,000 Karabiner 98k rifles already in service, only changing his mind once he saw it first-hand. The StG 44

7569-586: Was unveiled in 1977, when it was carried by Soviet parachute troops during the annual Red Square parade . It would soon replace the AKM and become the standard Soviet infantry rifle. In 1979, the AK-74 saw combat for the first time in Afghanistan , where the lethality of the 5.45mm rounds led to the Mujahadeen dubbing them "poison bullets". The adoption of the 5.56mm NATO and the Russian 5.45×39mm cartridges cemented

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